(seq. 21)

when searching after principles
may ^ turn the scale, when searching after principles (this phrase crossed out)
against a man

Marine Hospital 28th June 1809
[Suval Sir-?]
General [Deaborn?*] communicated
to the Steward of the hospital + to me this day your remarks
of (his John Bullard's) acct of vegetables for the hospital,
I shall see that Mr. B. attends to it the first leisure, and
had it been communicated before you would pro-
bably have received the explanation with the quarterly accts
now making up. I write this therefore merely to explain
the reason why it does not accompany the accounts
which he is now giving in to the Collector, and am
very respectfully yours
B W.

Honbe* Albert Gallatin
Cambridge July 13th 1809
Sir
Four days ago Gen D. communicated
to me the result of the President's decision respecting me
together with a friendly intimation from him, which I shall
by no means neglect. I hope however that neither the
President nor yourself will misconstrue the motive, when
I say that I find myself under the necessity of writing to
him in the course of a day or two on a subject which, I
think absolutely necessary to be explained. I regret ex-
ceedingly that I did not listen to the advice of my friends +
go on to Washington. I never before understood and felt that
most precious privilege of the _trial _by _our_peers, that is by our
[lines above crossed out; small initials "? G. D."]
_neighbours-. I find by conversation that the thing on which he
imagines government has laid the most weight has been
that on which I have said the least, not because I had nothing to
say in extenuation.

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* A General Dearborn was appointed Collector of the port of Boston in March 1809 by President Madison
* Honbe : Honorable